The Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that President Hugo Chavez’ inauguration can be postponed.

The court also ruled that in the meantime, Chavez' handpicked vice president, Nicolás Maduro, should run the government.

Opposition lawmaker Maria Corina Machado told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that she believes the Venezuelan constitution clearly states that the National Assembly president, Diosdado Cabello, should run a caretaker government before new elections are called.

“Why violate the constitution at this point?” Machado asked rhetorically, pointing out that this move would keep power with the “Chavistas,” not transfer control to any opposition party.

Cecilia Sosa, a former president of the Supreme Court told CNN that she believes the Supreme Court's decision is unconstitutional, and also agreed that the constitution says National Assembly President Cabello should serve as caretaker president, not Vice President Maduro.

Machado said that choosing the vice president over the National Assembly President exposes serious internal divisions and mistrust among the “Chavista” groups.

“This is a decision that was clearly taken in Cuba by the Cubans,” Machado alleged to Amanpour.

Though before leaving for his latest treatment in Cuba, Chavez said on December 8 that Vice President Maduro would finish out any period of vacancy if he could not complete his current term. Chavez also said if new elections became necessary that he hoped Venezuelans would elect Nicolás Maduro as president.

“The truth is, in Venezuela we do not know who is running the presidency, who is in charge of the government at his point,” Machado said. She joined a group of lawmakers that believe Venezuela should send a medical team to Cuba, to know if Chavez is capable of resuming his responsibilities.

Machado said if at some point there is a new election, she expects the opposition to be united. Opposition groups were able to rally behind Governor Henrique Capriles Radonski in the presidential elections last year. Capriles came closer to defeating Chavez than any of the previous contenders, 55% to 44%.

soundoff(13 Responses)

Pedro Perez

Maria Corina Machado is a famous as compulsive liar. He has told so many lies about Venezuela that just seeing their country is perceptible all the lies that lady says. It's a real shame that Venezuela does not have a decent opposition.

The only liars in Venezuela are Chavez and his government. They haven't informed the people about real Chavez medical condition up to this day they haven't said where is Chave'z cancer. What is a real shame is the government of Chavez, they have had the biggest oil's income in the Venezuelan history and our country is in ruins, more poor than 30 years ago, there are no decent public hospitals, there are no decent public schools, the government has stole most of Venezuelan money and gave it away to other countries such as Cuba. If Chavez claims that our hospitals and doctors from the Universidad Bolivariana are that good, why he doesn't treat his cancer in his native country, in the public hospitals he has forgotten about and abandoned! and what happen with the criminality? we have thousands of people getting killed every year for no reason! because we are one of the most dangerous countries in the world!! So who is the liar now? I think you.....

I think Cuban government is trying to control the situation. They are very interested in making us believe that today Hugo should not appear in public and everything stays the same. You are not going to fool the Venezuelan people!!! we know the true, the law and elections have to be called.

See the power of the Cubans! They are the ones who decide who should govern Venezuela! Alas! Why aren't other nations including the US not taking the initiative to know the truth about the condition of Chavez after the Surgery? Even the UN and the other Latin American neighbours are also very silent on the this issue.

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